That confirms the recent and ongoing nature of his struggle.
Adekunle Gold Confirms Ongoing Sickle Cell Crisis: “I Still Have Crises”
Nigerian music star Adekunle Gold (AG Baby) has shared a powerful update about his life-long battle with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), revealing that the struggle is far from over.
In a video from his most recent interview, the 38-year-old artist made the candid confession:
“I still have crises.”
Key Takeaways from his Recent Statement:
- Ongoing Struggle: He is actively correcting the misconception that he has overcome the disease entirely, stressing that he still experiences painful sickle cell episodes (crises), though they are not as severe as they were in his childhood.
- Lifelong Medication: Adekunle Gold revealed he has been on lifelong medication (specifically mentioning Folic Acid and B Complex) since he was about five years old.
- Advocacy for Awareness: He stated that his vision is to “make more noise about it” to combat the widespread ignorance regarding the condition, particularly in Nigeria where the disease is most prevalent.
- Importance of Genotype Testing: The singer emphasized the crucial need for genotype testing because, as he noted, SCD (SS genotype) results from both parents being carriers (AS genotype) and conceiving a child with the disease.
- The Nature of the Pain: He detailed the specific pain associated with a crisis, describing it as “pains on your joints, my legs, and sometimes stomach. It’s really crazy.”
Adekunle Gold continues to use his platform to encourage resilience among fellow sickle cell survivors and is actively engaged in advocacy, including through his “5 Star Care” initiative which provides free health insurance to sickle cell warriors.
“Where sickle cell is more popular or where people know it most is my country Nigeria. And it happens when an SS matches an SS. And that’s why knowing your genotype is very important because the point is you should not bring many more kids that have sickle cell.
“Unfortunately for me, my parents are sickle cell and they brought me to the world. The first time I ever heard of sickle cell was when I would fall sick every time with my joints paining me. So when we talk about crisis, it is pain in your joints, my legs, and sometimes my stomach. It’s really crazy.
“The first time I noticed that I had it was the night I fell sick and my dad wasn’t home, and my mum put me on her back and we walked miles to the hospital. I don’t remember how old I was, maybe like 5 or 7. That was when the doctor told me about it, and they told me that I would be taking folic acid and B complex for the rest of my life. And that was my life for a very long time, even till now.
“I still have crises once in a while, but not as bad as I had them when I was a child, you know, maybe because I have found a way to take care of myself more properly. And I’m grateful to God for the resources to be able to do that.”
